Page 43 of I Dream of Dragons

I have to talk to him, talk to the king, talk to myself and clarify everything because… because this isn’t what I came here to find, not what I signed up for.

Are you seriously regretting finding Mars again?

Of course not.

But then why does my heart feel like it’s breaking whenever I think of Jai?

Gritting my teeth against this unwelcome discovery, I climb onto the drak’s shoulder and from there to his back. The creature shifts a little underneath me, scales rattling softly. His neck twists and he does turn his head, bringing those saber teeth way too close for comfort—but he only keeps an eye on me as I hang there precariously, fumbling for the key stuck in my belt.

That would be just my luck, that I drop the key and the drak decides to take a bite out of me after all.

Jai wouldn’t let that happen.

Another thought to chew on as I finally climb higher on the drak’s neck and swing myself into the black saddle. Once seated, I search for the place to insert the key. Did Jai know to call for atrained, conscripted drak? Does he know the draks personally? Could he have called just as easily a wild drak with no saddle or harness?

“He called for a dragon to ride,”Keres breathes in my mind.“I left the army long ago, but the saddle is welded to my back.”

That’s terrible.I frown.Dammit, where do I put this damn key…?

There.A missing piece in a puzzle, two entry holes into which I shove the ends of the key, and it clicks.

The drak shifts again underneath me, letting out a low rumble, a quake of muscles rippling under my thighs, under the plain, military saddle. I grip the reins so hard they dig into my flesh, my knuckles white. Another quake and I hiss, bowing over the drak’s neck as it slowly heaves itself to its… feet? Paws? Talons?

Then the world heaves, shifts, and the ground is suddenly too far away.

I yelp and tighten my knees against the scaly hide like Jai told me as the drak stands on all fours, barely feeling the scales scraping patches off my bare skin.

The drak shakes his head. The harness rattles. I sway on top of him and my stomach pitches.

Okay. Okay. I’m still in the saddle, still alive—well… the latter is debatable but all in all, I can’t complain.

I glance toward Jai to say something inane and stupid like,“I made it! Did you see me do it? Am I not a champion?”

The mortification. I’m not a little girl and he’s not my family.

But he’s not on his drak, as I’d expected, already seated and ready. No, I find him with a hand on the yellow drak’s side, dark head bowed. I’m not sure what he’s doing, but the wind brings me snatches of phrases and words. He’s muttering something.

A prayer?

Or a curse.

“Tenebra,”he’s whispering.“Pasianax. Neb-Sekert. Morychos Ense.”

No idea what those words mean, but I’m pretty sure that’s Phaethon speaking. Did he take over again?

Then, “No.Fuck, no. Remember Eos, remember what she’d say.Stop.”

The last word reverberates inside my mind like a pebble falling down a deep well.

I shake my head to clear it.

The constant fight between them shouldn’t hit me in the feels like that. I shouldn’t find it so distressing. So excruciating.

Jai’s exhaustion and blood loss could mean Phaethon finds it easier to take over, and he may do so again. Controlling him has to take a lot out of Jai and he still needs to get onto his drak.

Shit.I need to get off this drak and go to him, though how I’d get back up is another story, and as for what I’d do when I reach Jai, I have no clue. Tell Phaethon to shove it? Give Jai a leg up? Make sure, I don’t know… that they don’tkilleach other?

A snort escapes me, surprising me. This isn’t funny.